


I Did What I Felt I Had to Do

by madamelibrarian, Mrs_SimonTam_PHD



Series: Loving Heart [53]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Arguing, Attempted Kidnapping (mentioned), Chuck Shurley's A+ Parenting, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cute Kids, Domestic Disputes, Domestic bunker Life, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Human Michael, Kids and their fascination for gross things, Lucifer Feels, Lucifer for once isn't the one flying apart, Lucifer's chances for cuddling continuously get interrupted, M/M, Mentioned Military Kink, Michael Redemption, Nephilim, Plot Twists, Prior Lucifer/Lilith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 00:14:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13019199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madamelibrarian/pseuds/madamelibrarian, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mrs_SimonTam_PHD/pseuds/Mrs_SimonTam_PHD
Summary: Michael returns from the cage and throws the Winchester's and their Angels for a loop.





	I Did What I Felt I Had to Do

**Author's Note:**

> Any dialog that is bolded is being spoken in Enochian
> 
> Thank you to our Beta @samwise-the-true-hero (Tumblr URL).
> 
> Drop us a note and let us know what you think. Comments keep us warm on these cold winter nights.
> 
> You can also find us on tumblr at lucibae-is-dancing-in-hell.tumblr.com & madamelibrarian.tumblr.com

Lucifer laughed at something Sam said as they entered the bunker’s kitchen. “No, no, no, that’s not how that works!” he countered as he rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks upon seeing someone he’d hoped he’d never see again. “What are  _ you _ doing here?” He growled. 

Michael turned and looked at Lucifer. “Heylel. Good to see you again,” the eldest archangel said pleasantly. “Malachi. Samuel.”

Sam stood still when he heard his name and stared in shock at his father standing before him. The same version he’d seen when he and Dean had gone back in time to stop Anna from trying to kill their mother. 

Gabriel laid a hand on Sam’s shoulder to hold him back from stepping in between the archangels. His own heart pounding in his throat because this reminded him too much of centuries ago when his brothers fought without end.  

“ _ Don’t  _ call me Heylel and don’t you  _ dare  _ call my mates Malachi and Samuel.” Lucifer’s voice was ice. “Answer my question.” 

“Father sent me here, Heylel,” Michael said soothingly, walking over to where his brothers and their mate was. “I’ve come to make amends.” 

Lucifer’s archangel blade was at Michael’s chest faster than anyone expected. “No. You  _ had  _ the chance to make amends. You threw them away. You don’t get to waltz into  _ my home,  _ where  _ my family  _ is, and expect me to welcome you back.” The blade slipped up to Michael’s neck. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t slit your throat from ear to ear.” 

Michael looked at his younger brother with hurt in his eyes. “I’m your brother, Heylel.” 

“You ceased being that since before I Fell,” Lucifer hissed. “You’re not my brother.”

“That’s not what you said before he,” Michael said with a flick of his eyes toward Sam. “Threw us  _ both _ into the cage.” 

“Because that was before you tortured me as much as him.” Lucifer hissed. “That was before you broke the promise we made when we were fledglings.” He tapped the blade against Michael’s throat. “I should drive this into you without a second thought.”

Gabriel took a hesitant step forward when he saw the blade press a little too tight against Michael’s throat. “Heylel...don’t.” he muttered loud enough for Lucifer to hear him. 

“Why shouldn’t I, Gabriel?” Lucifer growled. “He’s no better than Baal was.” 

Sam broke away from Gabriel and laid a hand over Lucifer’s sword hand while keeping a wary eye on Michael. “Because, you wouldn’t forgive yourself for going through with it. Even if he has shit for taste in vessels.” 

Lucifer took a deep breath and reluctantly removed his blade from Michael’s neck. He uttered a vile name in Enochian before spitting on his older brother’s face and storming out. 

Sam understood part of the phrase Lucifer had used and was stunned that his mate would say such a thing. He watched his mate leave the room and then turned a hard glare back to Michael. “Be gone by the time I get back or I’ll banish your ass.” he snarled before stalking off after Lucifer. 

Michael looked towards his other brother and sighed softly. “And do you hate me, Gabriel?” he asked, respecting their other brother’s wish to not call them by their ‘proper’ names. There was a sad note in his voice. 

“You’re not my favorite being.” Gabriel answered honestly as he crossed his arms over his chest. “But I think you and I need to have a little chat.”

Michael nodded. “That’s what I’m here for, to talk things out and maybe come to an understanding. I don’t expect to be welcomed back with open arms, but. . .” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I wasn’t expecting him to be so. . .  _ violent. _ He’s never been a violent being.”

“Then you don’t know Lucifer anymore.” Gabriel turned and headed toward the door to lead his eldest brother outside. He didn’t want to run the risk of Sam coming out and banishing the whole bunker full of angels to kingdom come just because Michael was still there. Gabriel walked past Lucifer’s garden and up the hill that was behind the factory building that concealed the bunker. 

Michael followed Gabriel, stopping when he saw the garden. It bled Lucifer all over it and it made his heart ache, knowing how much time Lucifer probably spent here, covered in dirt and yet the happiest. He sat down next to his younger brother and sighed. “So much has changed, and I don’t know where to begin,” he said softly. “Being in the Cage without Lucifer gave me time to think. And we both know once Father yanked me out, he didn’t give me the option of being delusional for long.” 

“Good.” Gabriel cut him an impatient look and then sighed in resignation. “You spent too long being an asshat anyway.” 

“I never meant to be an asshat,” Michael admitted, tracing a pattern on his boots. “I... I don’t know what I was doing. I was trying to be a father instead of a brother, and by doing so, I ended up throwing away my family.”

“And torturing them.” Gabriel shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you have any idea the amount of damage you’ve caused? Raphael is dead because they wanted to carry on your fucked up plan for the end of the world. Our numbers have dwindled to such a degree that Father is possibly considering allowing Nephilim. And Lucifer…” Gabriel looked at Michael with the eyes of a man who carried the weight of the world on them. “It’s taken us years to get him to where he is now. Years of panic attacks and hallucinations to battle. I don’t know what happened in that Cage once you were in there, but it impacted both of them whether Sam will admit it or not.” 

Michael sighed and nodded. “Father told me that Lucifer was in bad shape once he was pulled out. That it’s taken not just you and Sam, but Dean and Castiel countless hours of patience and understanding and devotion to get him to be alright.” He looked away. “I hurt my family, Gabriel, and once I realized that, I was ashamed. Especially for treating Lucifer the way I did. But. . . I did. . . I did what I felt I had to do, and it was wrong.” He looked at Gabriel with the weariness of a man who made all the wrong choices and who wanted to make right. 

“You did what you had to?!” Gabriel’s voice raised in disbelief that his brother still felt his actions were a necessity on some level. “Well let me tell you something, Michael. What you  _ had _ to do resulted in Lucifer refusing care when he’s injured. Did you know that? How about Castiel? He freed the Leviathan and consumed them to stop your war. The Winchesters have stopped having faith in anything but their family. Sam cringes from your name. Lucifer calls out for you when he’s the most vulnerable and regressed state of mind.” 

Michael listened and sighed. “Malachi, I said  _ felt.  _ I have admitted my actions were wrong and I’m  _ never  _ going to be able to fully atone for what I did.”

“No, you won’t.” Gabriel stood and looked at his brother with barely contained tears of anger, grief and protectiveness. “You two tore us apart once before. I tried to stop it then but I’ll be damned to the bowels of the pit before I let you start another war because of petty jealousies. He’s mine, Michael. They’re all mine.”

“Then help me,” Michael urged, standing up to look at Gabriel. “Help me prove that I’m not the angel I was. Help me to understand what I need to. Because, more than anything, I want my family back. I know you won’t ever trust me again. I know that I will probably never be loved again. But if I don’t do this, if I don’t succeed. . .” he looked away. “Father’s giving me Lucifer’s old job if I don’t. I just want to talk now. I don’t want to fight. I never did. I was too caught up in my self-righteousness and jealousy of Lucifer being Father’s favorite before.” He drew in a deep breath. “Please. Help me.” 

Gabriel considered his brother’s words carefully, trying to see if there was a hint of falsehood in them. When he couldn’t detect any, Gabriel nodded. “Okay. I’ll help. First things first...A small suggestion. Change that vessel before you come back here. Dean will have a fit and Sam’s already having a low key one. Then, when you got a vessel sorted, call me. We’ll figure something out to get you and Lucifer talking. But no funny business. Don’t guilt him into taking you back. You won’t like the end result.” 

Michael nodded. “I’ll talk to Father about a new Vessel for me. This one’s too rough for my tastes.” He looked at Gabriel with nothing but gratitude. “Thank you,” he said softly. 

“Don’t thank me yet.” Gabriel said as walked back down the hill with his hands tucked in his pockets, leaving Michael behind and feeling a sense of deja-vu in the process.

**.oOo.**

“I swear to Father’s Human Child, Sam, if I see him again, you  _ will not  _ be able to stop me,” Lucifer threatened, tears streaming down his face. “I will smite him faster than Castiel can get Dean on his knees begging for his cock. We could time it, too, and Michael would be dead before Dean even hits the floor.”

“I don’t disagree with you.” Sam said as he sat in the leather chair the angels had left behind, saying it was extra comfy for reading in.

“Then why did you stop me?” Lucifer asked despondently, twirling his blade in his hands, itching to go back out and finish the job that he wanted to start. “Why?”

Sam stood and with a deft hand, plucked the blade from Lucifer’s hand and cupped the side of his face. “Because, although I don’t disagree with him staying gone and smiting him into next week, you don’t need to be the one to do it. Trust me.”

“If not me, then who?” Lucifer whispered, reaching for his blade again. “No one else is strong enough. No one else  _ can. _ ”

“Don’t worry about it right now. When we’re calm we’ll be able to think clearer.” Sam kissed Lucifer’s forehead and slipped his blade back into his hand. “But first thing when Mary gets home, you or Gabriel are going to ward her.” 

Lucifer nodded in agreement, rage and vengeance singing in his blood but he recognized he couldn’t go after Michael right now. “Okay,” he said, slipping his blade back into his sleeve. 

“Okay,” Sam said with a note of finality. He didn’t want to get into how deeply the idea of Michael hanging around terrified him. It wasn’t because he remembered anything specific from the cage but it was like his soul recognized a danger and wanted to flee as far as he could. ‘“How about until then you help me translate that Sumerian text I found. I suspect it’s a book of dirty limericks.” 

Lucifer shook his head. “Gotta remain alert,” He mumbled, looking warily at the door. 

“Heylel, look at me.” Sam softly urged the angel. 

Lucifer slowly looked up at Sam. 

Sam took a deep breath as he swept a thumb over his cheek. “I need the distraction. Please.” 

“I can’t  _ afford  _ a distraction,” Lucifer whispered, shivering. 

“Then come help me ward this place so only family can get in. Real family.” 

Lucifer tore himself away from Sam and paced around the room, anxious and trying to prevent a panic attack. 

Sam went to the bed and sat down on the edge. His elbows braced on his knees as he looked to the floor. “I don’t remember anymore. Not really. Every once in awhile I’ll remember a smell or sound or the worst is a phrase. I can’t really comprehend what it’s like for you.” 

“I. . . .I remember  _ everything.  _ Just. . .everything.” Lucifer shook his head and slid himself into the corner, just like he had in the Cage to evade Michael. 

“Do you ever feel like running?” Sam asked as he crossed the room and sank down beside Lucifer. “Like fleeing.” 

Lucifer nodded. “Yes, but I can’t help but stay.” 

“Me too. I wanna see Mary’s first formal dress and how you’ll fuss over her.” Sam leaned his head against Lucifer’s shoulder with a small smile. “But I have to kick your father’s ass first.” 

Lucifer kissed his head just as Gabriel burst into the room and slammed the door behind him. Stalking over to the dresser, the younger Archangel grumbled as he tore off his jacket and tossed it at the corner instead of hanging it up. He’d had time to think about Michael’s return and how he’d begged Gabriel to help him, now he was going to be at odds with his own mates and all because of his desire to have his family together again.

“Who pissed in your Cheerios?” Lucifer asked, slowly putting his angel blade back in his sleeve. 

“I’m the fucking peacemaker. Always. Every fucking time and I’m sick of it.” Gabriel groused as he started to pace around the room. “I’m a messenger. How did I end up a negotiator?”

“What the hell is going on?” Lucifer asked. 

Sam narrowed his eyes when he recalled the last time he’d seen Gabriel. “What did you promise him?”

“That’d I’d help, of course.” Gabriel said as he threw his hands in the air. “Although I can’t remember why now, other than he’s got your freakin’ puppy expression beat.” 

“You did  _ what? _ ” Lucifer shrieked. “Why? How could you let him  _ browbeat you  _ into that?!”

“Because maybe this time I’ll actually succeed!” Gabriel shouted without a thought and immediately looked stunned at the words that escaped his mouth. 

Lucifer stared long and hard at Gabriel before grabbing his own coat. “I’m going for a walk,” he announced shortly. “Don’t bother coming after me.” He slammed the door to the nest on his way out, shouldering past Dean on his way, hot tears staining his face. 

Shortly after Sam stormed out of the nest to a plaintive shout of his name from Gabriel. 

Lucifer finally collapsed on a park bench and curled up into a ball, finally letting the tears flow long and hard down his face. He couldn’t believe Gabriel, that his brother- his  _ mate _ \- who knew everything that had transpired between him and Michael, who knew almost more than Sam how often he dreams of the Cage, how often he wakes up from nightmares with their brother’s name on his lips, the real reason why he won’t allowed himself to be doctored, would allow their brother a second chance. A  _ third  _ chance, in Lucifer’s book. 

“Lucifer?” a soft feminine voice sounded a few feet from the the bench an hour after the archangel’s arrival. The figure the voice belonged to was tall, with dark auburn hair woven into a severe looking braid. Her chocolate brown eyes were expressive and filled with sorrow as she looked down on the angel.

Lucifer sniffled and coughed, not answering as he angrily rubbed his eyes. He may not like Heylel coming from anyone but his mates, but he hated the sound of Lucifer even more.  

“I… I wanted to apologize. For invading your home like I did.” Michael said as she clasped her hands in front of her. 

“Dammit Michael!” Lucifer shouted, jerking his head up and glaring at his brother’s new form. “Am I not safe  _ anywhere  _ anymore?” His blade was out and fresh tears stung his eyes. 

“You are safe.” She assured as she slowly knelt on the ground before him, pulling a small wrapped item from her pocket. “I wish to make amends, if I can.” 

“I  _ gave  _ you a chance! I gave you a chance to not fight me, to walk away.  _ And you didn’t. _ ” Lucifer hissed. “You called me a  _ freak  _ and a  _ monster  _ and that you couldn’t let me walk this Earth.” 

“Mea Culpa. Mea Maxima Culpa.” Michael murmured as she looked down at her hands. “I was angry and alone. It was wrong of me to lash out at you like that even though we both started doomsday clock.” 

“ _ You  _ started the Doomsday Clock.  _ I  _ was just dragged along and, in a way,  _ compelled  _ to do the shit I did.” He threw up his hands. “I never wanted to fight! I just wanted Father to understand my side, to see how flawed humanity was! That’s  _ all!  _ And the Apocalypse. . . well, yeah, I did horrible shit, but so did you, Michael! You can’t say I’m the monster when you’ve done just as bad, if not worse, things. And by then, all I wanted was  _ an apology.  _ From you. From Father. And did I get one?  _ No. _ ”

“Everything would have been as it should have been if your human hadn’t interfered.” Michael said as she stood. 

“ _ I let him have control. _ ” Lucifer enunciated slowly and clearly. “I allowed memories to be triggered, I  _ surrendered  _ my control to him.  _ He  _ was going to jump into the Cage because I  _ never  _ wanted to fight. It offered the best solution. No one died that day. It would’ve been just me and Sam in the Cage, and Death or someone else would have retrieved his soul, leaving me to live in the Cage. . . alone.” He took a deep breath. “He interfered because I let him.”

“I didn’t want you in the Cage. I wanted you in the new Paradise, Heylel. With me and Raphael. Like Father intended. Can’t you see that?”

“Then what was the Cage, Michael? What was that? What was you appearing to me as a dream spirit and making my wounds worse?” Lucifer shouted. “What was you tearing my Vessel from limb to limb? What was the vocalization of hate and disgust? Was  _ that  _ wanting to see me in the new Paradise?” 

“You dragged me into HELL! From our Father’s grace. You and that...that...human.” Michael snarled.

“Be real careful of how you refer to  _ my mate,  _ Michael,” Lucifer warned darkly. “ _ I  _ did not drag you into Hell.  _ Sam  _ did.  _ I  _ was completely passive.”

“Until I turned my wrath on him. Then you become the hero for him. Is that it?” Michael shook her head. 

“ _ My  _ Vessel.  _ My  _ mate.  _ My  _ other half.” Lucifer hissed. “I was protecting what was rightfully  _ mine _ .”

“AND I WAS TRYING TO DESTROY HIM SO HE WOULDN’T BE BETWEEN US!” Michael cried out. 

Lucifer looked over Michael coolly. “So. You’re  _ jealous  _ of Sam? Because I transferred my affections to him?” he stated shortly. 

Michael blinked her large eyes and averted her gaze from Lucifer’s piercing stare. “You’ve been the only one I’ve loved since you were laid in my arms. Then the humans came and took your attention away. Their simple existence making you cold and angry.”

Lucifer sighed. “So you hardened your heart towards me, became the Michael that tore me down, that drove Malachi out of our home. The one that threw me out of it. The one that imprisoned me and then, when the human deemed mine dragged you in with us, the one who tortured me for millennia.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “Became the Michael that I feared instead of loved. Became the star of my nightmares and more than one panic attack.” He looked at Michael. “Do you have  _ any  _ idea of what goes through my mind when I’m upset? It’s a constant litany of what you told me. Freak. Monster. No one will love you. No one cares about you. You’re forgotten. You’re not worth anything to  _ anyone. _ ” Hot tears stung Lucifer’s eyes again but he didn’t let them out. 

“I was angry.” She choked out as tears slipped down her cheeks, splashing hotly onto her hands. “It was wrong to do those things, I understand that now.” 

“I have admitted my wrongs and have  _ more  _ than atoned for them.” Lucifer crossed his arms. “It took  _ months  _ of intensive therapy from Sam and Malachi to even  _ get  _ me to this point. And there were setbacks. A lot of them. Has someone  _ ever  _ tried to cut out your wings while telling you your mates are using you as a whore and nothing more? Have you ever ran Hell as a kingdom and have had dissenters try to kill your family? Has your family been  _ hated  _ by angel kind so much, that when Father found out, he opened up the hard labor prison? I can  _ barely  _ visit Heaven still beyond the occasional visit to Father and choir practice. It’s not home anymore, Michael. And perhaps it never will be.”

Michael turned her tearful expression up to her brothers and opened her shirt to expose her breastbone. “For my sins, I atone and accept your judgement Heylel, as I’ve accepted Father’s.”

Lucifer sighed. “Playing the martyr doesn’t suit you, Michael,” he said in a much softer tone than he had been speaking in. 

“I’m not playing. I’d rather die by your hand than rule in Hell as I’ve been commanded.” Michael said quietly. 

“Wait,  _ what? _ ” Lucifer’s voice turned sharp. “Is that what Father said? That if I don’t forgive you, then you have to rule Hell?”

“No, that if I did not attempt atonement that I would spend three human lifetimes in the pit.” She explained as she turned to sit on the bench. “Father has already cut me off from the host to prevent uprisings and division. Other than his voice, I am alone now.” 

Lucifer was now furious. Clearing his voice, he shouted for their Father, letting his fury show. 

Michael looked around and sighed when there wasn’t an answer. “You should know you can’t change Father’s mind on things like this. I’ve sinned and deserve judgement.”

“Maybe not but I sure as Hell can try to change his mind.” Lucifer hissed through gritted teeth. 

“Why? You are most favored again. You and Gabriel. Father has given you freedom and a daughter to care for, even if she is the intended mother of his vessel.” 

“Because I know what ruling the Pit is like. Because I know that it tears your Grace and everything you hold dear apart. Because I know that the path to redemption and loving yourself and forgiving yourself  _ doesn’t  _ lie in torturing demons and collecting souls,” Lucifer said in a firm voice. “Because while you’re not one of my favorite people right now and you have a  _ long  _ ways to go until I can fully trust you again, I  _ will not  _ let another angel rule Hell.” He shouted for their Father again. 

“Are you aware that your voice sounds like a fog horn when you shout?” Chuck said as he appeared behind Lucifer. “I think the entire host knows you’re pissed by now.” 

Lucifer whirled and looked at his Father. “What’s  _ this  _ about Michael ruling the Pit if I can’t find it in my heart to forgive him?” he asked in a harsh tone. 

“I’d say it’s a bad translation of my will.” Chuck said as he pulled his glasses off his nose. “Not listening again, Michael?” 

“I told him it was contingent on my atonement not his forgiveness.” Michael clarified as she kneeled on the ground before her Father. 

Chuck nodded and looked up at Lucifer “That’s closer to what I said. Except for the ruling part. He’s to serve Crowley for a time.” 

“No more angels in the Pit,” Lucifer hissed. “Atonement and forgiveness and redemption has no place there, and it  _ never  _ has. All it’ll do is make Michael hate themselves more. It  _ ruins  _ angels more than humans. No. More.  _ I’d  _ rather be damned again because at least  _ I  _ know what this is like. Michael doesn’t. I’ll be blunt, I don’t like it.”

“So what would you suggest her punishment be if she doesn’t try to do as you’ve done?” Chuck asked with a raised eyebrow. “Since you seem to know so much.” 

Lucifer thought for a moment. “She lives as a human,” He said finally. “Michael’s always been rather removed from emotions, unless it came to me. So. Remove their Grace, make them human. Watch them learn all over again. Let them see what life and redemption is  _ really  _ about. Keep an eye on them, and then, when you feel they’re ready, restore their Grace.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Have them learn to unharden their heart and to accept the Grace and Beauty that is this creation, flawed beings and all. Is that not what I did?” 

Michael’s eyes widened as Lucifer spoke. The idea of being weak and among humans with all their...frailty was a fate worse than the pit to her. “No, Father. You can’t.” She pleaded as she reached up to take hold of the corner of his jacket. “I’ll serve in Hell. Don’t make me human, I beg you.” 

Lucifer looked at Chuck. “You told me a long time ago to not harden my heart, Father,” he reminded him. “Michael would be weak and without their kin, true, but love and hope blossom out of that. Nothing but despair comes from Hell. This is me, not hardening my heart against the one thing that tormented me above all else. This is me wanting what I feel best for someone I once considered my family.”

Chuck looked between Michael and Lucifer, considering the wisdom of Lucifer’s words. It was true, Hell was no place for angels and he had considered the human option which was just as problematic. 

Lucifer stepped closer to their Father. “Father. I don’t want another member of my kind to go through the same kind of intensive care that I needed when this is all done and over with. No one deserves that. No one ever has. Except for child molesters. Please. Humanity would be far kinder than sending them to Hell.”

Taking one last look at Michael, the Heavenly Father nodded. Michael looked on in terror as Chuck held out his hand to beckon the grace from Michael’s vessel. “Father..please...don’t.” She cried out as she felt her grace pull and twist inside her until it erupted from her in a great flash of light. She slumped to the ground when it was over. The sound of her own heart deafening in her ears as it pounded inside her chest. A moment later a great sob broke from her lips as she felt the aching loneliness of humanity wash over her. 

Lucifer took a deep breath and looked over at his Father. “I’ll take her to the local women’s shelter,” he said softly. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome, Little Nova. But this may be a crueler punishment for her than you may realize.” Chuck murmured as he placed a glowing vial in Lucifer’s hand and then disappeared. 

Lucifer quickly fashioned a chain to hold Michael’s Grace and leaned down to scoop her up. “Come on, Michael,” he murmured. “Let’s get you to the local women’s shelter. They’ll help you. I volunteer down there every week, so I’ll see you often.” 

She wrapped her arms around Lucifer’s neck and sobbed until her whole body shook. “Don’t leave me, Heylel. I’m sorry… don’t leave me.” 

Lucifer sighed as he gently pressed his lips chastely to her forehead. “I have a family, Michael. I have mates and a daughter to look after. But I promise. The women’s shelter has my number on speed dial, and I’ll be down every Wednesday during the day. You’ll be safe. I promise. But I can’t abandon my family.”

“I don’t know..how to be...human.” She cried as she gripped him tighter and admitted in a small voice. “I’m...I’m scared.” 

“It’s alright to be scared, Michael,” Lucifer soothed. “Humanity is terrifying, but such wonderful things can come of it. I promise. Everything will be okay.”

“It’s too quiet and cold.” She whispered through a sniffle as her weeping started to abate. 

“It is very quiet,” Lucifer agreed. “But there’s always things to warm you up. Warm drinks, blankets to cover you, warm clothes. The possibilities are endless.” 

They reached the shelter after a time and Lucifer set Michael down on her feet outside the shelter. He drew off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders gently. “Remember, Michael. I’m just a phone call away. These are good people. The people who run this shelter are nuns, women who devote their lives to our Father and his Human Child. They will help you.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead before banging on the door. 

“I hope they’re Jesuit. I always liked them.” Michael murmured as she pulled her brother’s coat tighter around her frame. 

A young woman in a nun’s habit opened the door and she smiled warmly at Lucifer. “Luke, you’re back early,” she greeted. “God has led you here, hasn’t he?” 

“He has, Sister Katrina. This is my sister, Michelle. She has come to me under difficult circumstances. I do not have the ability to take her under my wing. She is scared and lonely, and I need a safe place for her, preferably near a house of God.” 

“You are an honest man, Luke,” Sister Katrina smiled as she gently brushed back Michael’s hair. “We will care for her. Will we see you on Wednesday? It’s your turn to read compline that night.” 

“Even if I have to drag my husbands and daughter here, I will,” Lucifer promised. “A word with my sister before I leave?” 

“Of course, Luke.” Sister Katrina smiled indulgently and turned her back.

Lucifer smiled and turned to face Michael. “It’s not the same as hearing the Host,” he murmured gently as he tucked the coat tighter around her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “But it’s close. Pray often, Michael. He’ll still listen. I promise that.”

Michael frowned forlornly as she looked up at the crucifix carved into the door. “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. - Jeremiah 29:12”

Lucifer nodded and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “And you can always pray to me. I don’t accept them, but I do listen.” 

She ducked her head down and nodded wordlessly. 

Lucifer tilted her head up and looked at her gently. “I won’t let bad things happen to you. Don’t worry about death or illness. Since I was the one who chose this, it’s my duty to protect you. And you know that I’ve always tried to protect you from anything I could.”

“You can’t protect me from the world I’m to inhabit.” Michael said as she met Lucifer’s gaze, then standing on her toes placed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Your mates are blessed with you. I hope you know that.” 

Lucifer brushed a chaste kiss of his own across Michael’s forehead. “It is I who is blessed with them,” he said softly. “It’s time for me to give back what they helped me learn.”

“Uncle Luke! Uncle Luke! Uncle Luke!” 

Several children, all Mary’s age or just a little older, crowded around the two, much to Lucifer’s delight as he hauled two onto his hips. “You all behaving for the sisters?” 

“Yes Uncle Luke!” They chorused. 

“Will you sing to us, Uncle Luke?” One girl asked. 

“Bridget, right?” he guessed. 

The girl nodded, pigtails bouncing. She looked happy at the fact that “Uncle Luke” had remembered her name.

Lucifer smiled indulgently. “ _ Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind but now I see.” _

Sister Katrina stepped up next to Michael and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Your brother is a good man, Michelle. You must have been blessed to have him growing up.”

“I was.” Michael answers humbly as she half listens to Lucifer singing as a lump formed in her throat. She not truly cried in eons and she could only surmise that this inability to control her emotions was due to her newly human state. “I just didn’t realize it until recently.” 

Sister Katrina smiled kindly. “That often happens, but you’d be surprised at what time can do to a person.” She looked at the man singing the hymn to the children, everyone rapt with attention to the singing angel. “He’s already forgiving you, for whatever you’ve done.” She looked at Michael. “Have you said your good-byes? You’re looking a bit peckish.” 

A tear trickled down her cheek as she listened to the chorus of the hymn. “I’m tired is all.” 

“Let’s get you laying down then, until supper. You don’t have to attend services tonight if you don’t feel up to it. I understand that this is a rough transition for you.” The sister offered her hand. 

Michael reached up with a trembling hand and placed it in the Sister’s. “Larger than I could have ever imagined.” 

Sister Katrina smiled gently, but warmly as she led the former archangel to her rooms, Lucifer’s bright voice echoing down the halls.

**.oOo.**

Lucifer sighed as he walked into the nest and collapsed on it, exhausted from the day. He had no sooner gotten comfortable when Dean knocked on the door frame. "Thank fuck you’re here. Sam and Gabriel have been at each other's throats since you left."

Lucifer sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Thank you, Dean. Mind making yourself and Cas scarce? Idea- go pick up Mary and take her to the park. I don’t want her around for this.”

Dean nodded but didn’t move from his spot. “Sam told me about Michael. Or I heard him shouting about it. Are we going to have any problems from him?” 

Lucifer shook his head. “Not true problems, no.” He walked over to Dean and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “My brother’s now in a female vessel and is at the women’s shelter I volunteer at. Sister Katrina is taking care of her. I should also mention that right now, Michael is human. She won’t darken our doorstep for a long time, Dean.” He held up the vial of Michael’s grace. 

Letting out an audible sigh of relief, Dean’s shoulders sagged slightly. “Good. That’s good.” he studied Lucifer for a moment and leaned in an inch closer and whispered. “If you need a nest to crash in tonight, Cas and I don’t mind sharing. Just so you know. It’d be like old times.” 

Lucifer smiled and nodded. “Thanks, I appreciate it,” he said honestly. “If this goes topside, I probably will. Don’t sleep well by myself and I’m not playing the favorites game. Beer on the roof after dinner?”

“Sure.” Dean looked around with a half smile like he had an exciting secret. “Ever had a peach beer?” he asked conspiratorially. 

“No, I haven’t,” Lucifer whispered back. “I’ll try some tonight.”

“Beer on the roof under a full moon it is.” Dean said as he stepped back. “But just so we’re clear. I don’t put out on the first date. I’m cheap but not easy.” he teased in spite of the tense atmosphere of the bunker. 

Lucifer laughed. “No, but you sure as hell go full out on the third,” he teased back before waving his friend away. “Now, shoo. Go pick up Mary and feed ducks in the park. Don’t poison the pigeons, though.”

“Yeah, Yeah. I’m going.” Dean said as he headed to his room to grab his keys. “Text me when the war is over.” 

“Will do,” Lucifer promised. He waited until he heard the front door of the bunker close before shouting for his mates. “MALACHI. SAMUEL. YOU HAVE PRECISELY THIRTY SECONDS TO GET IN THE NEST BEFORE I MAKE YOU.” His voice was sharp and crisp. 

Neither of them answered except for the sounds of clanging metal in the kitchen and the dull thud of a thick book hitting a library table. 

Lucifer counted to thirty before storming out of the nest and going to the library to find Sam. “Samuel. Nest.  _ Now. _ ”

“I’m a bit busy at the moment.” Sam said as he flipped through the pages of the tome he’d slammed down and jotted down a few notes. He sounded perturbed but did a fair job of hiding it and not taking it out on Lucifer directly. “How was the walk?”

“Informative. Now  _ into the nest,  _ Samuel. Now.” Lucifer’s tone brokered no argument. 

Sam looked up at his mate, his jaw muscles twitching as he bit back a retort. Shoving a piece of paper into the book, he slammed it closed and shoved out of his chair with enough force to make the legs squeal on the marble floor. Without a word he marched off to their room in hopes Lucifer would get whatever he had to say out so he could get back to work. 

Lucifer made sure that Sam reached his destination before going into the kitchen. “Malachi. Nest. Now.” He barked. 

"My soufflé will fall if I leave it now." Gabriel grumbled as he mixed ingredients together with a well practiced hand. His eyes flicking to the egg timer ticking away beside the oven. 

"For once, Malachi, I don't give a rat's ass about your baking, if you're not in the nest in the next thirty seconds I will pick you up and bodily throw you in." Lucifer snarked. “Go to the nest. Now.”

“I’ll come when I’m ready and not before, Heylel.” Gabriel snapped as he threw the whisk he’d been using into the sink causing batter to splatter on the counter and creating an awful noise. 

Lucifer marched over to Gabriel and picked him up bodily by the back of the neck, as if he was scruffing a disobedient puppy. “You will come  _ now, _ Malachi,” he said in a low and dangerous voice as he walked down the hall to their room and threw Gabriel into it, closing and locking the door behind him. “Sit. Both of you.” 

Sam glared at Gabriel as he was shoved into the room and moved across the room and sat in the leather chair. Gabriel on the other hand, kept up his defiance up until he really saw the look on Lucifer’s face and then he sank down to the edge of the bed without taking his eyes off of him. 

"First of all- Malachi, don't you  _ dare  _ move from that spot- Michael has been dealt with. She- yes, Michael took a female vessel- is in the convent's women's shelter, because I convinced Father to make her human instead of sending her to the Pit."

Gabriel gave Lucifer a petulant glare, much like Mary did from time to time. 

"Don't give me that look, Malachi, it makes you look stupid. Now, second of all, you two. Yes, I was hurt and angry when I stormed out of here. Why do you think I went to take a walk? So that I can go do the grocery shopping? And instead of just separating, you two went at each other's throats." He paused as he considered his next words. "What if I had a panic attack, and you two were too busy shouting insults at each other?"

"We weren't hurling insults." Sam said.

"And we stopped didn't we?" Gabriel defended

"Did you? I didn't realize." Lucifer's voice was dry as freshly laundered towels, but less warm "But you're both still avoiding the question."

Sam pointed at Gabriel. "He started making up a bed for him… her… whatever. A BED. And he didn't even talk to me and Dean about it" He sounded like he was winding up to start the argument anew. And from the look on Gabriel’s face he wasn't far behind.

"Will you two stop acting like you're ten instead of grown men, or am I going to have to treat you like children?" Lucifer snapped.

Sam and Gabriel turned from each other in their own time and looked momentarily mollified by Lucifer’s outburst. 

"Right. Now that you both have your heads out of your asses, let's talk like civilized beings and not like apes."

Gabriel scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “When in Rome do as the mud monkeys do.”

"Congratulations, Malachi, until you've learned how to properly respect someone, you have lost the privilege to speak at the moment." Lucifer snapped, glaring at his brother. 

"So that's what you really think of me?" Sam asked quietly, his head snapping up to stare at Gabriel, sounding more hurt than angry now. He’d never have believed that Gabriel would resort to that kind of name calling. 

“Are we done with the unnecessary name calling, or should I just hold my breath until the two of you are done?” Lucifer asked sharply. 

“I’m very much done.” Sam said as he made a move to leave his chair. He seriously felt like he couldn’t be in the same room with Gabriel at the moment. 

“Samuel, sit  _ down. _ ” Lucifer’s voice commanded obedience. 

Sam looked pleadingly at Lucifer, hoping he’d let him go but stayed in his chair. 

"Now that we can all act civilized, let's talk. I understand where the  _ both  _ of you are coming from. Now, listen. I was a good boy. I didn't do anything unseemly towards Michael or anything. I talked to them. I learned what Father had in mind for them. I screamed at Father. I offered a solution. Father  _ took  _ my solution and made Michael mortal. I then, of my own accord, took her to the women's shelter and made sure she got settled in. I took care of my tormentor and the person I once called brother. I could've easily sent her on her merry way to the Pit. But I didn't. I took care of Michael." He crossed his arms. "Isn't that what you both did for me?"

The human and angel look at each other, for the first time since Lucifer left without any barbs thrown at each other and nod in agreement. Neither were quite ready to apologize to each other yet, especially now with Gabriel having made the situation a little worse with his monkey comment. Sam looked down at his wedding band and began to spin it around his finger anxiously. He didn’t like it when they fought to this degree but he couldn’t back down and let his voice, his opinions go unheard just because he was the youngest of the three. 

"So, now that that has been settled. Time for you two. Malachi, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Even  _ I  _ , who wasn't that fond of humanity in the beginning, would have  _ never  _ referred to Sam or any human as a 'mud monkey'. Is that what you  _ really  _ think of Sam? Or are you too upset and hurt over the fact that he was upset and hurt and was trying to make you see his side that you let the first nasty insult you thought of slip out of your candy coated mouth?"

Gabriel was tight lipped as he avoided looking directly at either of them. Ashamed at himself for even saying it and not knowing how to take those words back. After a time, he shook his head. "No. I don't think Sam is a Neanderthal."

"Then why did you say it?" Lucifer asked.

"I don't know," Gabriel admitted in a low whisper.

Sam sighed as he folded his arms over his chest, "It still hurt, Gabriel and I honestly don't know whether to deck you for it or sleep on the couch.”

"You're doing  _ neither  _ Sam. This is getting resolved  _ now,  _ and I don't give a damn if we stay up all night to resolve this. It's happening  _ now  _ . I'm  _ not  _ having any repeats where one of you gets yanked from me. If I can be an adult about this situation, then you two can." Lucifer looked at each of them in turn. “I can either spend this time psychoanalyzing the both of you so the other can see what is going on, or you two can talk about it like mature, responsible adults who are setting a good example for our daughter. Which is it going to be?” 

“I promised Michael I’d help.” Gabriel started, his voice low. “So I was making a bed just in case. Like we did for you when you first came to earth. It didn’t seem necessary to get ‘permission’ to take in family. Especially if they’re repentant.” 

Lucifer nodded, understanding his brother’s logic. “I understand what you were trying to do, Malachi, and I do appreciate your efforts,” he said gently, but with a stern edge to his tone still. “But while you were fine with it, and Castiel would have been and Dean might have come around, you have to consider this as well. Michael was not kind to myself and to Sam. They did their damn best to try to destroy Sam. Sam doesn’t remember a whole lot of what happened, but I remember everything. I went into an instant panic mode when I saw him. What if I hadn’t ran into Michael on my way back, and found him making himself at home- in  _ my  _ home, in a place I considered safe?”

“Not to mention Mary. The last time he was on earth he sent every angel he could think of to try and get us to say yes to possession.” Sam added. “There was no telling what his plans were when he returned. Regardless of what he was telling you.” 

“I said it was ‘in case’,” Gabriel said, sounding defensive as he looked between them. “I wouldn’t intentionally put any of you in harm’s way. You know that.” 

“Maybe not intentionally,” Lucifer said gently. “But I didn’t want to take that chance. You weren’t with him when you left. You weren’t with him in the Cage.” He walked over to Gabriel and stroked his hair back from his face. “I appreciate you trying to help Michael. I honestly do. And I love you even more for seeing past what had happened. But it could have been disastrous, even if you didn’t plan on it. That’s what I was worried about.” 

Sam ran his hand over his face but remained silent. His heart was too sore at the fight he’d had with Gabriel and the revelation of Michael’s return to rehash all of it again. He’d said his peace even if it’d fallen on deaf ears. Ears that seem to listen far better to Lucifer than him. 

Lucifer then walked over to Sam and cupped his face in his hands, tilting his mate’s face up to look at him. “Thank you for standing up for what you felt was right,” he said gently, brushing a thumb over his cheekbone. “And thank you for being here for me when I was upset. I appreciate that and everything else that you do.” He brushed his lips against Sam’s forehead tenderly. 

Sam nodded and patted the back of Lucifer’s hand. “Anytime.” he answered sincerely. 

Lucifer smiled and turned his hand to take Sam’s in his and squeeze it gently. “Apologies have to be made,” he said gently. “You both have hurt each other a great deal today, and this is a family. We tend to hurt the ones we love the most, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to make apologies to each other. I understand if you cannot make one to the other right now, but you should before we go to bed tonight. I need advanced notice if sleeping arrangements need to change for a night or two. If you two have not made up by the time Mary’s home, then you will at least be civil towards each other in her presence. Tonight I’m having a beer on the roof with Dean after dinner, but before and after that, you both are more than welcome to come talk to me, either together or separately.” He slowly withdrew from their presence and headed on up to the observatory, where he kept the door open just a crack and he stared out at the sky through the large window.

The afternoon and evening progressed without Sam or Gabriel apologizing outright, but their actions toward one another were subdued and remorseful. During dinner Dean kept glancing between them and then to Cas. The pair had obviously already discussed the situation and come to some agreement. 

Lucifer felt tired to the bone, there was no other word for it. He just wanted his mates to apologize. Maybe then he could relax, but his entire being was vibrating with the need to do things. During dinner he kept quiet and ate little, his normally voracious appetite dimmed quite considerably from the anxiety he felt. After dinner was done, he collected everyone’s plates and told Mary to go do her homework before bedtime and went to start on the dishes. 

Dean brought in the last of the dishes and pulled out a six pack of beer from the back of the fridge. “Heya Luc’. Come have that beer with me.” he coaxed with a waggle of the bottles. 

“It’s my turn to do dishes tonight, Dean,” Lucifer said, although the bottles and Dean’s voice tempted him to leave them.

“Let me be the devil’s advocate for once and delegate the dishes to certain asshats.” Dean said with a hint of a grin. He loved throwing puns at Lucifer when it involved his old titles or names. “Come on. I’ve never danced with the devil in the pale moonlight.” 

Lucifer couldn’t help but give a little chuckle at Dean’s puns. “No, just simply sinned with the angel of the morning in the setting sun,” he teased back. He reluctantly withdrew from his kitchen duties and went to follow Dean up to the roof. 

“What can I say, I like to sin when I can.” Dean said as he passed by Gabriel, Sam and Castiel sitting around the table in quiet conversation. “Dishes need done.” he said as he motioned for Castiel to follow them. “We’re gonna have a beer while you two have angry sex or whatever it is you two need to do.” 

Lucifer shook his head and leveled a warning glare at his mates before heading up to the roof and sat down in his usual chair. The facade of the strong, quiet soldier finally fell completely through and he sat there with his head in his hands, shaking and trying his hardest not to sob. 

Castiel and Dean sat on either side of him and Castiel leaned toward him with a hand on his shoulder and a concerned expression. “Don’t worry, Lucifer. They’ll make amends soon. They’re headstrong which I’ve come to understand is a Winchester trait.” 

“Hey, I’m right here.” Dean said as he passed one of the peach infused beers to his mate. 

“Your presence doesn’t alter the fact, Dean.” Castiel said with a wry smirk. 

Lucifer gave a strangled sort of chuckle and took a deep breath, trying to relax. 

“Whatever.” Dean mumbled as he pressed a bottle into Lucifer’s hand. “He’s right though. Sammy will come around and so will Gabe.”

“But at what cost?” Lucifer asked, taking the bottle and twisting the cap off to take a drink. 

“Possibly a night on the couch or floor.” Castiel said as a matter of fact. “I’ve been told it does wonders for attitude adjustments.” he added with a sidelong glance at Dean, revealing that this had happened between them once or twice. 

Lucifer shivered at the mere mention of it and began steadily drinking his beer, to the point of chugging it, hoping that the alcohol might help him relax. 

“Dude, savor that shit. Do you know how many hippy beer stores I went to to find it?” Dean said indignantly. “Seriously you need to relax. Sleeping without them isn’t the end of the world.” 

Lucifer tore his lips from his bottle, its contents half gone by this point. “I know,” he said quietly. “I know. Sorry, just been. . . a stressful day.”

“I’ve heard orgasms are a good way to alleviate stress.” Castiel said as he took a pull from his beer and smacked his lips in appreciation of the taste. 

“Now don’t start offering those up. He just might take you up on the offer. I hear he has a wicked wing kink.” Dean smirked at the angels and nudged Lucifer’s elbow. 

“Oh,  _ bite me, _ Winchester, if I hadn’t pulled off when I did you would’ve came faster than anything,” Lucifer chuckled without any heat, the familiar bantering helping. 

“Dean did say you were skilled. Perhaps you could give me some guidance. I find that his ability to continue conversations during fellatio to be rather distracting.” Castiel said with all sincerity and no sign of jealousy or spite. 

Lucifer chuckled and looked at Castiel. “Dean likes having his slit played with, I found out,” he said, turning slightly to face his younger brother more fully. “Now, I have an advantage- I have a forked tongue, which is considered ‘cheating’ but, hey, what can you say? Press your tongue into it. And always deep throat, if you can, in one motion. Listen to his body, feel what it does. You’re gonna know that a lot better than I.” He winked.  

Dean spluttered into his beer at looked at the angels with a shocked expression. He hadn’t exactly expected Cas to start treating Lucifer like Dr. Ruth and get sex advice. “Seriously? You two are going to compare notes in front of me?”

“My mates know we compared notes about the ‘toppy fuckers’ in our lives, Dean,” Lucifer said with a smirk. “Besides, isn’t it my duty to assist my brother?” 

“And you would benefit from the knowledge I acquire.” Castiel smirked at Dean briefly before turning back to Lucifer. “I have found the use of a gag rather enjoyable to a point but I find it hinders the sounds I do wish to hear from him.” 

“What kind of gag are you using?” Lucifer asked curiously, taking a leisurely pull from his beer. 

“Don’t answer that, Cas.” Dean warned as he leaned forward in his chair to try and see them both. 

Castiel ignored Dean and looked down at his suit. “My tie.” 

“You need something to keep his mouth open, or else the sounds will be muffled, although I applaud the idea,” Lucifer hummed. “O-ring gags work the best- better yet, if you get one just the right size, you can even slide your dick into it for a nice messy face fucking.” 

“Stop corrupting my angel.” Dean said as he slapped the back of Lucifer’s head, just hard enough for it to be felt but not hard enough to hurt. 

Castiel rolled his eyes. “Too late for that. You’ve already done an admirable job of “corrupting” me. Although everyone seems to forget that I observed humans in all their aspects for a great deal of time. I’m inexperienced. Not totally ignorant.”

“That’s my boy,” Lucifer chuckled as he clapped Castiel’s shoulder. “Besides, Dean, I know you already traded notes with Gabriel. Consider this getting even.”  

“All I wanted was a beer and the stars, to have a good time. I honestly feel so attacked right now.” Dean huffed as he sat back in his chair. “Fine. Fine. Talk about our sex lives all you want. I’ll just sit here and drink my hippy beer.” 

Lucifer laughed and leaned back in his seat, already looking more relaxed and when they started out. He took another pull of his beer and stared up at the stars. He could hear far off church bells ringing, signalling time for services, and he wondered idly if his brother would be attending Mass with the Sisters. 

“It’s strange.” Dean finally said as the bells finished their chimes. 

“What is?” Lucifer asked, jerked from his thoughts. 

“I can’t wrap my head around Michael being on earth, as a girl and human.” Dean said as he pushed his empty bottle into the pack. “When I heard he was back the first thought I had was he’d be coming for me again. Now he’s in a convent and I’m drinking a beer on the roof in need of new tar with the reformed Devil and a Seraph who wants to ball gag me.” 

“O-Ring, Dean, ball gags are nasty little fuckers,” Lucifer corrected him and sighed. “He came here, first, in your father’s form, and I nearly killed him,” he admitted. “Sam and Gabriel barely managed to stop me. I went for a walk to allow myself time to calm down and to get away from the situation. And Michael was there, in a female vessel. I surmise when Gabriel said he’d help, he told Michael to get a new vessel. And Michael and I talked. . . well, shouted, really. And then I found out what my Father’s plan for her was. If Michael didn’t succeed in achieving atonement, He was going to condemn Michael to three lifetimes serving Crowley in the Pit. And. . . I couldn’t let that happen. I called for Him and said no. When Father asked what I would do instead, I said make him human. Make them mortal and learn that way. And my brother begged for the Pit. And Father listened to me. Heard what I was saying and granted Michael humanity.” He took a quick drink of his beer. “And knowing that I couldn’t bring Michael here, I took her to the convent, to the women’s shelter. And then I come home to find World War Ten is happening with my mates.” He sighed and ran his hand down his face. 

Dean and Castiel stared at Lucifer in twin looks of quiet admiration. 

“I know the sisters will look after Michael, and I have their Grace, so when Father says so I can restore it,” Lucifer continued with a heavy sigh. 

“Damn man.” Dean finally exclaimed. “You’re a bigger man than I’d be.” 

“It is rather extraordinary.” Castiel added with a nod of his head. 

“How?” Lucifer asked softly. “I just did what I had to, and that was. . . not letting another angel suffer Hell as I have. I wouldn’t wish that on  _ anyone. _ ”

“I would have ganked his ass.” Dean said as he opened his second beer. “But that’s me. If it were Sammy I’d have probably not been able to but that’s usually how most of our trouble starts. I’m proud of you, kid.” 

Castiel blinked at Dean and tilted his head. “You do realize that in the scheme of age, you are technically the ‘kid’, right?”

“My point still stands.” Dean raised his bottle to Lucifer and took a drink. 

Lucifer smiled. “It’s nothing to be proud of, I just did what was right. But thank you, Dean.”

“Considering your history with Michael it was a very honorable path to take,” Castiel said and looked up at the rising moon and finished his thought with a more somber, remorseful note. “Enough of us have died already.” 

“That I can agree with,” Lucifer sighed. “And enough of us have gone to Hell and served time there. If I can help it, I don’t want another angel serving in the Pit. Michael went mad the last time, and all he really did was torture me and Sam. Three human life times under Crowley’s hand? He’d  _ die. _ ”

“Or we all would.” Dean said pensively as he sipped his beer. “Can you imagine Crowley with an Archangel under his command?”

“Unless Father intended to perpetuate an arranged mating between Lucifer and Crowley.” Castiel looked to Lucifer with a tilt of his head. “Would he go so far?”

Lucifer spat out his beer. “Please no.” 

“Jesus Cas. I don’t need that mental image.” Dean cringed. “Can we go back to talking about Luci’s dick and ball gags?”

Castiel shrugged and turned his attention back to the sky. “It was just a thought.” 

Lucifer took another swallow of  his beer and sighed. “A bad thought.”

“Very bad.” Castiel conceded. “I for one wouldn’t want to be Crowley’s mate. He has unsavory habits and proclivities.” 

Dean rolled his eyes and said in a sarcastic tone. “You don’t say.” 

Lucifer chuckled and sighed. “I wouldn't want to be his mate either.” 

“The sulfur smell alone is nauseating.” Dean shuddered as he thought back to his time as a Mark of Cain corrupted demon, then pointed the neck of his bottle at the pair of angels. “I vote for a change of subject.”

Lucifer hummed and nodded and took another sip of his beer. “I second that motion.” 

They were all silent for a moment before Castiel spoke up. “I found something curious on the internet the other day that I didn’t quite understand. What exactly do they mean by Daddy kink?”

“What Gabriel does with Sam.” Lucifer replied blithely. 

“Which I don’t want to hear about.” Dean added. 

“Yes, but...Sam doesn’t really believe that he is Gabriel’s father. It would concern me that Sam would be so deluded.” Castiel said, clearly confused about many aspects of the idea. 

“You know how like when I go down into little space it calms me and lets me know I'm taken care of?” Lucifer asked.  

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.” Dean muttered into his beer. 

Castiel snapped a silencing look at his mate before nodding in answer to Lucifer’s question. 

“Same principle, just add sex,” Lucifer shrugged. 

“It’s a dominance game, Cas.” Dean sighed. “And no, we’re not trying it.” 

“Why? It sounds intriguing.” the youngest angel asked. “You always say we should try the things that interest us.” 

Lucifer chuckled softly. “Why does it intrigue you?” 

“To be one’s self but not.” 

Lucifer nodded in agreement. “It is freeing.” Castiel said. “To lose yourself in the care and trust of the one you love.”

Dean leaned around Lucifer to explain. “You can do that without calling someone ‘Daddy’. Which we can discuss later.” 

“As you wish.” Castiel said to Dean but once the hunter wasn’t paying attention, he whispered to Lucifer.  **“May we discuss this more later?”**

“ **Of course.”** Lucifer winked.  

Dean was about to make a comment about them talking in languages other than English and how it was rude when Sam poked his head out of the roof access door. “Luc’, it’s time to tuck Mary in. Do you want to stay out here?” 

“I'll be down to tuck her in” Lucifer said. “Give me a minute?” 

Sam bit the inside of his bottom lip and nodded before ducking back inside and shutting the door. 

“I don’t envy you, Luci. Sam’s stubborn at the best of times, but when he feels he’s in the right he’s nearly impossible.” 

“Don't I know it” Lucifer said dryly as he stood up.  He clapped both his brothers’ shoulders and smiled. “Thank you both. I needed this.” 

“Of course. I enjoyed the time together.” Castiel placed his hand over Lucifer’s and gave it a pat. 

“And like I said. If they’re dicks after lights out, you can bunk with us.” Dean added. “I even promise to wear pajamas.” 

Lucifer laughed and stretched.  “Thanks you two. Now I have a daughter to tuck in.” 

**.oOo.**

Gabriel was just finishing reading a chapter from  _ ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ _ when Lucifer came into Mary’s room. Sam was standing in front of her dresser picking out her clothes for the next day and putting away the freshly washed ones. 

“Mommy!” she cried out with a smile and outstretched arms. 

“Princess!” Lucifer hummed. “How are you? Did you have fun with your uncles?”

“Yes. We went to the park. They swung with me and then Unca Cas beat a man up.” She said with a gleeful smile. “It was awesome.” 

Sam’s head swiveled around and stared at his daughter. “Why did he do that?”

Gabriel looked at Mary Rose with concern as she leaned against his arm. “A man wanted to show me puppies but they were in his truck. He said he liked to give pretty girls surprises, but Unca Cas and Unca Dean stopped us from getting in the back where the puppies were. Then Unca Cas threw him like Hulk throws Loki and beated him up.” 

“Very noble of Castiel,” Lucifer commented.

“Should have smited his ass.” Gabriel muttered as he turned Mary Rose’s face to look at him. “Did your uncles explain why going with strangers is bad?”

“Yeah.  Unca Dean was mad at me though. Said if I ever did it again I’d get a spankin’ for not listening.” She explained with a small pout. 

“I don’t know about spankings but you’d be in quite a bit of trouble.” Sam sat on the foot of the bed and tapped her knee. “Not everyone is nice. There are bad guys and girls out there who would take you away.”

Mary Rose looked to Sam and held up her little fists like she was going to fight, swinging one of them at an invisible opponent. “Yeah but then Unca Dean and Unca Cas would get me. ‘Cause they’re superheroes like Thor and Loki, but way cooler.” 

Gabriel looked up at Lucifer, mildly stunned and offended by Mary Rose’s assessment of her uncles. “Cooler?” he mouthed to his brother. 

Lucifer shrugged and chuckled. 

"And what about us, Gumdrop. Are we cooler than Thor?" Gabriel finally asked. 

"No. You're too silly and make cookies. Loki doesn't make cookies. He gets beat up by the Hulk." She paused.  "And then lays on da ground making ouchie noises."

"What about me, Princess?" Lucifer asked, trying very hard not to laugh.   
  
"You’re Mommy." She said as if that explained everything   
  
Lucifer just beamed and kissed her forehead. "And is Mommy cooler than Thor or Loki?"   
  
"Yes, but Loki is cuter. I like his hair. It's long like Daddy’s."   
  
"I hate that Hiddleston guy," Gabriel grumbled as Sam outright snickered at his husband’s jealousy of a fictional character and the actor who portrayed him.   
  
Lucifer chuckled and kissed Mary's forehead again. "Well, we've all had busy days, so let's get some sleep," he cooed to her. "Did you say your prayers?"   
  
"Yes." She said as she huddled down in her blankets. "Mommy, the man said he had puppies in his truck but Unca Dean wouldn't let me look and I want a puppy. Can we get one?"   
  
"What about Barkley?" Lucifer asked with a smile. "And we have Bun-Bun."   
  
"I killed Barkley." She said without any remorse   
  
"Oh?" Lucifer asked. "And why did we kill Barkley?"   
  
"Because he said a bad word." She said bluntly.    
  
"I see. Well, we'll talk to Daddy Sam and Uncle Dean and Uncle Cas and let you know, okay?" Lucifer said gently. "Now it's time for Princesses to go to sleep."   
  
"M'kay." She rolled over and closed her eyes. Her parents started to leave the room one by one but it was Sam who paused in the doorway.    
  
"Mary, what bad word did Barkley say?" the tall hunter asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.    
  
She bashfully turned her face toward her pillow. "He called Big Bird an intergalactic cocksucker."   
  
Lucifer had to leave the room to laugh while Sam went to ask more questions but Gabriel pushed him out of the room before he lost his own composure. As soon as Mary Rose’s door was shut, Gabriel stumbled down the hall in a fit of laughter. A couple feet away was Lucifer, leaning against the wall and laughing in gasping, breaths as tears streamed down his face.    
  
"Why is that funny?" Sam asked. Clearly confused as to why his mates found Mary’s swearing funny. 

"Because-" Lucifer swallowed and took a deep breath, "because the last time I've heard that phrase said, it was when me, Michael, and Gabriel were playing tag and accidentally caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Michael called Gabriel an intergalactic cocksucker right before we hit Earth."

Sam cracked a smile as Gabriel giggled uncontrollably. “Dad...Dad...so pissed.” he wheezed. 

Lucifer nodded in agreement, laughing some more. “Michael got in the biggest trouble, everyone could hear him say ‘Malachi, give me back my halo you intergalactic cocksucker!!’ and he got a lecture on calling his siblings names.” 

“But he got me back.” Gabriel said with a final snort. “Made me train the younger angels for the next hundred years.” 

Lucifer chuckled and wiped a few tears from his eyes. “Alright, gentlemen, bedtime. Am I going to have to make other arrangements?” he asked, straightening. 

The smiles that had been brightening Sam and Gabriel’s faces faded. Sam was looked to Gabriel and shook his head. “No, you don’t have to go. No one does.” 

Gabriel straightened up and scratched his temple. “Luci, would you give me a minute with Sam? We’ll catch up with you.” 

Lucifer nodded and smiled to himself as he walked back to the nest by himself. 

Once the bedroom door shut, Gabriel turned to Sam. “Listen, I’m sorry. I let things between us get out of hand and I ran my mouth when I should have just kept it shut.”

Sam took a deep breath and sighed. “Yeah, I should’ve kept my mouth shut too,” he confessed. “And I should’ve tried to listen to your reasoning. I guess. . . I guess I was too concerned about myself and Mary to even think about you and Luci.”

“So can we admit that we were both asses, kiss and makeup because I don’t want to sleep on the couch or you to go sleeping in one of those dank rooms we haven’t even cleaned yet.” Gabriel said as he took a hopeful step forward. 

Sam chuckled and closed the space between them. “That and I’m not sure how I feel about Luci sleeping with Dean and Cas,” he smirked. “Mainly because he’d come back with ideas.” He leaned in for a kiss with his mate. 

“I don’t know. The ideas he gets could be fun.” Gabriel murmured as he grabbed hold of Sam’s collar and pulled him down the rest of the way while stretching up to press his lips to his mates. 

Sam kissed Gabriel sweetly and tenderly, cradling the back of his head lovingly. 

Gabriel eventually broke the kiss and left a parting peck to Sam’s bottom lip. “I love you, ya great big moose.” 

“And I love you, you candy lover you,” Sam chuckled. “Now, let’s go cuddle Luci and tell him how proud we are of him. He’s grown so much.” 

“Now you know the angel I grew up with. Imagine having General Heylel nipping at your heels on a daily basis.” Gabriel said with a smirk as he took hold of Sam’s hand. “I hope you can handle that.” 

Sam groaned. “If it weren’t for the fact that he was dressing me down, I’d want him to pin me down and fuck me into next week.  _ Jesus  _ no wonder you have a kink for General Heylel.”

“Wait until he calls you ‘boy’ in that tone with that eyebrow lifty thing he does. If it doesn’t melt your panties off then you’re not alive.” Gabriel led them down the hall and stood right outside the door. “If you want to get him blushing a bit, step in and salute him. He’ll say he hates it but I think he secretly gets a thrill from it.” 

Sam shivered. “Remember when we did the Devil/Boy King/Messenger role play and he kept calling me his boy and his little human? Anything like that?” he asked. 

“Think of it this way. It’s right up there with me calling you Daddy.” Gabriel said as his finger wandered along Sam’s stomach. “And you calling me your baby boy.” 

Sam shivered. “Alright. I’m going to salute, but only if you do it with me,” He bargained. 

Gabriel stood up straight, shoulders perfectly squared and looking every inch a soldier about to meet his commanding officer. His arm raised up with his hand to his forehead. “Sir. Yessir.” 

Sam chuckled and winked before opening the door and letting Gabriel in before letting himself in. They snapped to a perfect salute in sync when Lucifer looked at them and away from his book. 

Lucifer flushed scarlet. “I hate you both,” he mumbled as he set his book aside. Secretly, he liked it when he was saluted and treated like a general, but even when he was a general, saluting and being called  _ Sir  _ made him blush and want to hide. 

“Do you? Do you really?” Gabriel asked not moving except for the smile curving up on his lips. “Sir.” 

Lucifer groaned and blushed further. “You’re mean,” he accused with a pout. “You  _ know  _ that makes me blush.”

“But it’s cute when you blush, Sir.” Sam said as he lowered his hand and crawled up the bed. 

“Don’t you start now,” Lucifer pouted even more, his eyes round and soft. 

“Can I finish?” Gabriel asked as he leaned up to kiss Lucifer’s blushing cheek. 

“But  _ why? _ ” Lucifer asked, turning his head towards Gabriel. 

“Because Sam just discovered how hot you are when you get all bossy pants.” 

Sam tugged off his shirt and tossed it toward the hamper and curled up on top of the covers. “I didn’t say you were bossy. I said you were all...General-ish.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Lucifer crawled over to where Sam was curled up and gently, with every ounce of his general persona, said “ _ boy. _ ”

Sam looked up with rounded eyes and gulped as a thrill of arousal shot through him. 

Lucifer chuckled and withdrew from Sam’s space and lay down with a self satisfied smirk on his face. 

“See what I mean? Scared and hard at the same time.” Gabriel said. 

Lucifer smirked and stretched between them. “Silly boys,” he teased. 

Gabriel laid his head on Lucifer’s shoulder and plucked at the front of his shirt. “All kidding aside, we’re proud of you.’

“Very proud.” Sam said once he’d regained his brain function and tucked his pillow under his head. 

“Why?” Lucifer asked with a furrowed brow. 

“You confronted Michael, found him a safe place and didn’t condemn him.” Gabriel explained. 

“Then you come home and don’t panic when you find us being dicks to each other.” Sam added. 

Lucifer shrugged, blushing. “Not a big deal,” he murmured. 

“Maybe not to you, but to us it shows how far you’ve come.” Sam reached up and stroked Lucifer’s cheek. 

“How so?” Lucifer asked, leaning into Sam’s hand. “I just wasn’t a dick and didn’t want you two to argue anymore.”

“But you didn’t panic.” Gabriel said. “That’s a good thing.”

Lucifer shrugged. “There was already enough panic in the house,” he said. 

“I’m still proud of you, baby.” Sam said and kissed him on the forehead.

Lucifer blushed and burrowed his head into Sam’s shoulder, on the verge of tears from the events of the day. Finally, he was in the safest place for him to break down. 

“On the further upside, Sammy and I are good again.” Gabriel kissed the back of Lucifer’s neck gently. “And everyone is safe.” 

Lucifer nodded into Sam’s shoulder and gave a quiet sniffle. “If everything’s all good,” he mumbled. “Then why do I feel like crying?”

Sam wrapped his arms around the angel as Gabriel pressed against his back. “Stress relief. We’ve had a rough day and you’ve held it together but now your body wants to let it go.” Sam said.

Lucifer sniffled again and burrowed himself into Sam even more.

“Do what you feel you need to do, Heylel.” Gabriel murmured. 

“But I don’t  _ wanna  _ do it,” Lucifer grumbled petulantly, even as a tear trickled past his lashes. 

Sam brushed away the tear and whispered. “You might feel better if you do.” 

Lucifer hiccupped and sniffled. “No I won’t,” he mumbled. “Headaches are  _ not better. _ ”

“But then you get to look like a jelly masked Zorro.” Gabriel tried for levity as a way to make Lucifer feel better. 

“Gellie  _ cold. _ ” Lucifer protested, a few more tears falling out of his eyes. 

Sam pressed his cheek against Lucifer’s head and held him. “Not for long, but it’s your choice. We’ll be here for you either way.” 

It was hearing that last sentence that did Lucifer in, and he turned his head into Sam’s shoulder and began sobbing softly into him, letting all signs of his stoicism fade into his seemingly endless humanity. 

Gabriel and Sam let him cry without either of them speaking. Instead they reassured him with soft touches and gentle kisses, letting him work through his emotions without interference. 

Lucifer eventually pulled away from the safety of Sam’s shoulder, no longer crying but his eyes were red rimmed and puffy and he had that squint that indicated a headache. 

Sam kissed the tears from his cheeks, then rolled up from the bed. “I’m going to go get your mask. Is there anything else I should bring back?” 

“Nothing I can’t whip up on the fly.” Gabriel said with a shake of his head. “I’m having a craving for gummy bears at the moment.” 

“One of my sparkling waters? The mango one,” Lucifer mumbled softly. “Please?”

“Mango water. Got it.” Sam said with a small mock salute and an impish grin. 

Lucifer blushed and batted at Sam before burrowing his head beneath the pillows in an attempt to relieve his headache. 

Once Sam had left the room, Gabriel started to massage the back of Lucifer’s neck. “I’m curious. Have we never tried to heal your headaches?” 

Lucifer shook his head. “No, ‘cause of the stress,” he said softly. 

“Want me to try?” Gabriel asked as he brushed his fingers over Lucifer’s temple. 

Lucifer shivered and shook his head. “No, thank you,” he murmured. His shoulders had hunched slightly when he spoke. 

“Alright.” Gabriel said while his hand skated down to his brother’s shoulder, holding it gently. “I love you. You know that, right?” 

Lucifer nodded. “Yeah,” he mumbled. “I do. And I love you too.”

Gabriel laid there with a small smile. “Good.” 

Sam returned a minute later with the requested water and face mask. “Here you go, Heylel.” he announced as he sat on the edge of the bed. “I even took the bite off of the cold with a little of my own body heat.” 

Lucifer slowly sat up, his eyes completely shut as he made grabby hands for his water, wanting to drink that before he put his face mask on. “Thank you, Sam,” he said. 

“You’re welcome.” Sam pressed the bottle of water into Lucifer’s hand. “Is the headache bad this time?”

Lucifer nodded and began drinking his water. “Is it that obvious?”

“A bit. You haven’t opened your eyes.” Sam said as he shut off all the lights but the small lamp on the desk. 

Lucifer blinked a few times. “Yeah, it’s a bad one,” he murmured. He set his water on his nightstand and laid down in preparation for his face mask. 

Sam returned to the bed and carefully slipped the mask over Lucifer’s eyes. ‘Then we’ll get under the covers and see if we can get some sleep. You’ll feel better by morning.” 

Lucifer fussed over the coldness of the mask only briefly before settling down and closing his eyes, already feeling sleepy. “Mkay,” he hummed. 

Between Gabriel and Sam, they get the covers situated so they cover each of them and the pair sandwich Lucifer between them. In turn they wish Lucifer good night and enclose him in their arms and start to drift off to sleep. 

Lucifer started to drift off as well, until he remembered something that Michael had said about Mary. 

“FATHER!” He shouted. “ASS DOWN HERE AGAIN!” He slid out from between Gabriel and Sam expertly, forgetting about the mask that was now molded to his face. 

Sam sat up, having been startled awake by Lucifer’s yelling. “What’s going on?” he asked in a drowsy panic. 

“Why does Dad need to come down this time of night?” Gabriel looked around to see if he could sense any danger. 

“Got a question for him and if I don’t ask him I won’t sleep,” Lucifer said, standing and tapping his foot. “FATHER!!!!!!!”

Chuck appeared in the room looking just as startled as Lucifer’s mates. “What did I do now?” 

“Now, Michael may’ve misinterpreted what he had told me as well as the whole Hell-atonement fiasco that I saved him from,” Lucifer said, looking only somewhat threatening with a gel face mask still plastered onto his skin, “But. . . what’s this about  _ my daughter  _ being  _ your  _ future Vessel?”

Chuck looked confused, his eyebrows creasing together as he thought about what he’d told Michael. “I don’t need a vessel, this one is super cute already.” 

“Or maybe I misheard, you know, because I’m  _ old,  _ or I got mixed up because I have the crying headache from Hell. Could it be,  _ my daughter is theoretically going to carry a future vessel of yours or another human child masquerading as your son? _ ”

Realization dawned on Chuck’s face, his mouth forming a silent ‘oh’. “That...I think it got lost in translation. Enochian to English is tricky. But no, she’s not the second coming or the next Mother. At least to another Jesus. Although she will be a mother.” 

“Mother to what?” Sam asked as he came to stand behind Lucifer. 

“Or who?” Gabriel added as he took up the other side.

“You’re going to use  _ my daughter  _ as breeding stock??” Lucifer asked with a vicious squint to his Father

“Careful, Heylel. That tone is getting a bit...sharp.” Chuck said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “All humans have children. Remember go forth and multiply. Well I need her for something very special. She was born for that and many other reasons.” 

Lucifer sighed and closed in on himself. He didn’t like the idea but he also knew that if this what his daughter was born for then he had no say in the matter. His father’s reminder about his sharp tongue didn’t help matters either. 

Chuck sighed as he looked at each of the fathers. “I have the power to create, Gabriel being here is proof of that, but I need the human element this time. A soul to...inoculate the next generation of angels. Maybe the results will be a bit more diverse.”

“But why her?” Lucifer whispered in a somewhat broken voice. He didn’t even know  _ why  _ he was so upset over what his Father was telling him, but he was. 

“She’s Nephilim, Heylel. Several generations removed but the lines have been condensing down to her. She’s the nexus” Chuck explained patiently.   

Lucifer looked up at his Father in surprise and a little bit of hurt, as if to say  _ why didn’t you tell me she’s part angel? _

“I hid her and all her predecessors because I knew she’d be needed in this time and this place. That and I couldn’t let the original hybrid be destroyed.”  Chuck said as he strolled over to the leather chair and took a seat. 

“Dad,” Gabriel started with a pinched expression. He remembered the order to exterminate the nephilim. It was his sword that carried out the deed, along with his most trusted lieutenants. Some nights he dreamed of the screams. “Who was the sire?”   

Chuck took a deep breath and looked up to Lucifer with the saddest eyes. “Heylel, General of the West Garrison. Herald of the Dawn. Fourth Pillar of the Throne.” 

“No.” Lucifer whispered. “No. .. It  _ can’t  _ be, I was too careful. . .” 

Sam looked at Chuck in bewilderment. He wasn’t sure if he was hearing things right. Surely Chuck didn’t just tell them that they were raising the many times over great grand daughter of Lucifer.

Gabriel on the other hand went stone still. This face placid and void of emotion, except for his eyes that snapped with irritation at their father.  

“Things happen, Little Nova.” 

“You even said  _ nothing happened, Heylel. Nothing came of this. _ ” Lucifer said. He jabbed a finger in Chuck’s direction.  _ “You lied to me. _ ”

“Would you have preferred that I tell you that Lilith, the first human corrupted by the Mark through you carried your child?” Chuck asked. 

“Lilith?” Gabriel whispered to himself, his facade cracking slightly. 

“It was once,” Lucifer whispered. “I fell, into Temptation. She was. . . Hell, she was beautiful, Malachi. And I was tempted. And I took, although she went willingly. But. . . the process of our love making turned her. Turned her into the demon. And. . .it was an accident. And I asked Father if any children might come of this. And he said,  _ nothing happened, Heylel, nothing came of this. _ ” He took a deep shuddering breath. “I was ashamed,” he confessed. “Ashamed that I fell into Temptation, and ashamed that I unintentionally created her to be whom she is.” A broken sob tore from his chest. “And so I said that because of that, the humans were weak and made to be corrupted.”

“So that would explain her role as a Seal.” Sam said, his mind working overtime in processing the knowledge. 

“Love corrupted.” Chuck confirmed with a nod. 

“How dare you!” Gabriel finally snapped at Chuck. “You kept this from him and for what? So you could have Mary Rose to be mother to whatever you’ve got up your sleeve. Do you realize what a child could have done for him...us? He would have had something to care for, something to show him that humanity wasn’t the evil Lilith became! Instead you have me slaughter a whole race, keep one hidden and condemn Lucifer to the cage. Well, damn you Father. Damn YOU to Hell.” 

“I never even got to hold them,” Lucifer whispered brokenly. “I. . . I wasn’t there for them. . .”

Sam couldn’t believe what he just heard, Gabriel told off God and was still standing. In fact they were having a staring contest that would rival any he’d ever had with Dean. Breaking from his amazement, he gathered Lucifer up and ushered him out of the room whispering about waking Dean and Castiel because if there were any situation that needed all of them together, it was this. 

“No, no, please, just need you and Malachi,” Lucifer whimpered, struggling in Sam’s hold. “Just need you two, please.” 

“Okay but not here. Not right now. Let Gabriel send Chuck away first.” Sam said, knowing that Gabriel was probably winding up for another round with his father and he didn’t want Lucifer to witness it in his current state. 

“No,” Lucifer whimpered. “Wanna stay here, don’t make me go out there, please?” He sounded so broken, so upset. And he was. And all he wanted to do was stay in  _ his  _ nest with  _ his  _ mates and try to process everything. And, a small part of him wanted to see if Chuck would apologize. “Don’t make me leave.” 

Sam looked pleadingly at Gabriel but the shorter Archangel had inched into Chuck’s personal space and was speaking in a low voice. “First, you owe an apology and part of that apology will be something very simple.”

“I don’t disagree about the first part but I don’t like ultimatums.” 

“It’s not an ultimatum, Father.” Gabriel said coldly. “Just lift the injunction on nephilim and natural born angels. Mary Rose deserves a sibling someday and I’d like to not have to beg you for another orphan.” 

Chuck raised his eyebrow as he looked the archangel over. After a tense couple of minutes, he nodded. “It won’t be wholesale but if you have one of your own the host won’t move against it.” With a sigh, he turned around to face Lucifer, his demeanor was that of a father not wanting to be moved but doing so for the love of his children. “I’m sorry for what was done, Heylel. There were several paths that could have been taken but none of them had the needed outcome. If I could have done what was needed and let you hold your child I would have.” 

Lucifer broke out of Sam’s hold and ran into Chuck’s arms, burying his face into his shoulder and sobbing softly into it, this time weeping for the child he never knew. 

Raising his hand and stroking over the back of Lucifer’s head, Chuck held him until his tears lessened. But the silence he maintained was deafening while Gabriel glared at his Father from where he stood with his arms tightly crossed over his chest.  

Sam leaned against dresser and rubbed a small circle between his eyes and occasionally pinching the bridge of his nose. If he didn’t know better he’d swear that headaches were contagious and that Lucifer had given him one. 

Lucifer sniffled and slowly drew his head away from his Father’s shoulders and looked up in his direction. “Were they good?” he asked softly, dabbing his eyes with his shirt. 

Chuck smiled wistfully as he thought back to the small child he’d spared. “They were. She became a healer for her village until the day she died.”

Lucifer gave a watery smile. “A healer,” he whispered softly, dabbing at his eyes again. “My little one became a healer.” He looked over at Sam and Gabriel. “You hear that? She was a healer.” There was a note of pride in his voice that was also tinged in sadness. 

“One of your grand daughters founded a religious order in Britain once her daughter was married.” Chuck added. “And another granddaughter was a priestess for Isis.” 

Lucifer smiled and dabbed his eyes again. “So many lives I could have touched,” he whispered sadly. “So many opportunities. . .”

“Don’t think about it like that, Heylel.” Gabriel said, his attitude softening a bit. “The important thing is you...we have Mary and even though it’s diluted by generations, she carries a touch of your grace.”

“It may be the reason she took to you so quick.” Sam offered as he stepped up and wrapped an arm around Lucifer. 

Lucifer leaned into Sam and nosed into his mate’s neck, absently making the almost forgotten sign for  _ confused.  _

“Remember when you first found her? She latched on to you and wouldn’t let go. Calling you mommy right away. Maybe the part of her that she inherited from her bloodline recognized the progenitor.” Sam explained. 

Lucifer nodded and nuzzled into Sam more, hand sliding to caress his mark on his mate along his inner thigh absently. 

“Yeah, kinda like a bond.” Sam whispered to him and dropped a kiss to his temple. 

“Wait, so if she’s bringing about a new line then that means you have someone picked out as the father.” Gabriel said, tearing his attention away from Sam and Lucifer to see that Chuck had disappeared “And of course...he’s gone.” 

“It doesn’t matter,” Lucifer whispered. “Leave him be. I’m better. Just. . . kind of overwhelmed. That’s all. I’m fine.” He cuddled into Sam a little bit, but quickly turned when he heard tiny footsteps. “Mary? Are you okay?” he asked softly. 

“Had a dream, Mommy.” Mary said sleepily as she scrubbed her fist into her eyes. “An’ I can’t fin’ the unicorn. He said he’d be here.” 

“Well, that’s not very nice of the unicorn,” Lucifer chuckled, walking over to his daughter-  _ his flesh and blood _ \- and picked her up. “Let’s get you back to bed, okay, Princess?” 

“I’m thirsty.” She mumbled as she laid her head on Lucifer’s shoulder, already drifting back to sleep. 

Sam looked to Gabriel once they were alone and took a deep breath. “I think  _ I _ need a drink.” Gabriel nodded in agreement and led the way to the liquor cabinet in the library. 

Lucifer picked up the water he had been drinking and carrying Mary back to her room, humming an ancient lullabye. 

Mary Rose let out a soft grunt as she tried to mold herself against Lucifer and try to find a comfortable spot for her cheek so she could sleep. 

It was morning when Sam and Gabriel checked on their mate and daughter, and they couldn’t help but smile when they saw that Lucifer never made it back to the nest. He had molded himself into the rocking chair and Mary was curled up on his lap while they slept. Sunlight streamed in from the curtain to land on Lucifer’s face, but it didn’t bother the angel in the slightest. 

“Should we wake them up?” Gabriel whispered to Sam. 

“What time is it?” Sam whispered back. 

Gabriel tilted his head like he was thinking then answered. “Just after six.”

“Let’s let them sleep a little longer,” Sam murmured. “She doesn’t need to be up until 7 and I know Luci would appreciate the extra sleep.” He kissed Gabriel’s temple. “Love you.”

“Love me enough to make breakfast?” Gabriel said with a quick smile that left just as quickly. “Strike that...you can’t cook.”

Sam chuckled. “Dean’s up, I’ll have him cook,” he promised. “And then we need to cuddle the stuffing out of Luci. Poor thing had a long day yesterday and we barely got to cuddle him.”

“Him? We all had a shit day. Even I could use a cuddle.” Gabriel said as he extricated himself from Sam’s hold and headed toward the kitchen. “But for now I’ll settle for coffee and muffins.”

Sam chuckled and followed Gabriel. “I’ll agree with that.”

**.oOo.**

Lucifer sighed as he watched Mary swing from the monkey bars on the playground, huddled in his coat as he watched her play. 

Knowing that she was the many times over great-granddaughter of the child he and Lilith had together. . . he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. 

Why  _ was  _ it so important that it was Mary,  _ his  _ daughter, was his father’s choice for making her the mother of a new race of angels? Why couldn’t he have held his child, seen the new life he had created- a being that was half human. It’s not like he hadn’t held a child of his own or anything, but this was different. This. . . this could have changed the course of human history. 

_ What if he never fell? _

Mary waved to him from the top of the slide, and he waved back. He knew he should be thankful for what he had now, for his mates and Mary and his experiences, and that his father gave him a chance for redemption. . . but he couldn’t help but wonder, would it have been better if he was never the Adversary? Would he have been a better person? 

_ Would it have been so bad for me to hold my daughter?  _

He gave a polite smile to the woman who sat down next to him, watching a blonde girl with pigtails run towards his daughter. 

_ Is that what she looked like? _ Lilith was blonde haired and gorgeous, with near porcelain skin.  _ Did she have any of me in her? Or did she just look like a carbon copy of the woman I corrupted into being a monster? _

“Is everything alright?” a soft voice interrupted his thoughts from beside him. 

Lucifer turned to look at the young woman who sat down next to him and smiled, albeit a little sadly. “Yes,” he said softly. “I just had. . . a bout of melancholy.”

She nodded knowingly, “I have those still. Even after a year without Greg there’s some days I find it hard to do anything but watch movies.” She took a deep breath and held out her hand, “I’m Karen.”

Lucifer smiled and took her hand, shaking it. “Luc,” he said softly. “I’m sorry for your loss.” 

“Thank you,” she said, “How long has it been since you were widowed?” 

Lucifer shook his head, inhaling sharply. “I really wish I could say she passed,” he said softly. “She took off in the dead of the night. Just. . . no warning. By the time I found her she had already forged a new life for herself. New man, new attitude. . .” he sighed. 

Karen looked over at the children, lost in thought for a moment before speaking, “Divorce is rough from what I’ve seen, but at least you have your daughter. At least I assume the little girl on the slide showing mine how to climb up it is yours.

Lucifer laughed softly and nodded. “Yeah, that’s my Mary,” he said softly. “And you’re right, at least I have her. She keeps me young.” 

“Don’t I know it. My Lily keeps me running from the time she opens her eyes until she’s back in bed,” Karen said with a chuckle, “I think I’d be lost without her.”

_ What was her name? _ “I know I would be lost.” Lucifer sighed softly. “My brother and his husband help me out a lot with her, which helps. Mary loves her uncles.”

“Family is important,” Karen said, “You’re very lucky to have uncles that care enough to help.” 

Lucifer nodded. “I am,” he said, smiling a little. 

Just then the sound of a cellphone ringing sent Karen into a comical dance of pocket patting until she pulled it out of her jacket pocket and stepped away from Lucifer to answer. 

Lucifer hummed as he watched Mary play with Karen’s daughter, mulling things over in his mind. A lot of things still hurt about the situation, yes, but what he and Lilith had together was lust, not love. He knew that now. And he knew that his daughter, and granddaughter, and great-granddaughter, and so on and so forth all were wonderful, beautiful, shining examples of the best of them. Did it really matter who their mother was? Not really. Because he was there, now. And he wanted to be. 

He still had so many questions to be answered, but it was his turn to do the pocket dance and fished out his phone. “Please tell me you’re cooking dinner?” he asked Dean. 

“I wish because Sam is insisting to make it himself. And Luc’, he has put ketchup in the spaghetti sauce because there weren’t enough cans.” Dean harshly whispered into the phone, “To make it worse, he threatened to use a banishing sigil on Gabriel if he touched the pot and threatened to burn my records if I helped Gabriel get around it.”

“Where’s Castiel?” Lucifer groaned. “Picking up pizza I hope. Or maybe Chinese. Dear Father,  _ why  _ did he put ketchup in the spaghetti?” 

Dean sighed, “He said tomatoes are tomatoes and if it was good enough for us as kids a little ‘stretching’ doesn’t hurt.” Even though they couldn’t see each other’s the air quotes were heavily implied, “Cas wants to try the spaghetti because he agrees with Sam.”

“Dear Father,” Lucifer breathed. “Did you explain that spaghetti sauce is  _ not  _ the tomato smoothie that ketchup is?!” He stood up. “Mary and I will pick up pizza on the way home.”

“You’re sleeping in our room tonight if you do that. You realize that don’t you?” Dean snorted back what sounded like the beginning of a laugh.

“Either that or he’ll thank me when he realizes his mistake. See you in thirty.” Lucifer hung up and shook his head, smiling at Karen who had sat back down. “I get to order pizza because apparently, you can put ketchup in spaghetti sauce and it tastes alright because ‘tomatoes are tomatoes’.” He shook his head in amusement. “This is why I never let my brother cook. I don’t know what his husband was thinking.” His thumbs opened the Pizza Hut app and he began building the usual pizzas.

“Wait until your little one thinks tomatoes belong in macaroni and cheese,” Karen said as the girls started running toward them, “Good luck with dinner.”

“Thank you,” Lucifer said sincerely, finishing the order and turning around just as Mary jumped towards him, catching her. “There’s my princess!!” He set her on his hip. “You have a very silly uncle, Mary.” He mouthed towards Karen  _ cucumbers on burgers  _ while tossing his head at his daughter. 

“Why?” Mary Rose asked, confused by his declaration.

“Because he thinks that ketchup belongs in spaghetti,” Lucifer said, heading off towards the car. 

“Daddy is making Lisa Borden spaghetti?!” Mary Rose asked excitedly then cheered with her arms thrust up into the air. 

Lucifer groaned playfully. “Yes, he’s making Lizzie Borden Spaghetti,” he said, putting his daughter in her car seat. “However, Uncle Dean, myself, and Papa aren’t fans of Lizzie Borden spaghetti, so we’re eating pizza. And I’m having words with your daddy on telling you a grown up story.” 

Mary Rose started to pout but much to her chagrin it was ignored while Lucifer put her in her car seat and then shut the door. Her only option was to convince him of how great the stories were, all the way home.

**.oOo.**

“Sam? Don’t you think our daughter is a little young for true crime stories as a bedtime story?” Lucifer asked, leaning up against the doorframe of the kitchen. 

“She asked and it’s a relatively tame story compared to Gacy or Dahmer.” Sam explained as he finished tossing the pasta and sauce together. Turning to give his husband a shrug, his eyes instead fell on the pizza boxes in his hand, “Dammit, I said I was cooking tonight.” 

“Yes, I know,” Lucifer said blithely. “Back to the point, I still find it a little morbid and a bit gross that you call that,” he jammed a finger at the pot “‘Lizzie Borden spaghetti’. Sam, it may not be as gross as Gacy or Dahmer, but it still  _ is  _ a little much. She bludgeoned her family with an ax, it’s not like it was arsenic poisoning. Did you tell her about the Chicago Tylenol murders as well? Or the boy in the box in Philly? Maybe the JonBenet Ramsey case?” He set the pizza boxes where he, Dean, and probably Gabriel would be sitting. 

“She named it!” Sam said defensively, tossing the spoon back into the pot, “Now she won’t eat the spaghetti with pizza on the table.” 

“Sam,” Lucifer said, pinching the bridge of his nose, “All I heard on the car ride home was ‘Lisa Borden spaghetti!’ and the nursery rhyme. She very much wants the spaghetti still.” 

As if the mention of their daughter’s name carried power to summon her, the girl appeared and hopped over to Sam and said with a giggle, “Daddy! Lisa Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done she gave her father forty-one.”

“Yes, she did,” Sam replied and picked her up, giving Lucifer a triumphant grin, “so does my smart girl want pizza or spaghetti tonight?”

Mary Rose thought about it and then said, “BOTH! Guts on Pizza!”

Lucifer gave a horrified look to his husband. “ _ This  _ is your doing,” he said, jabbing a finger at him. 

“Not all mine. Ask her what Papa told her what brussel sprouts were?” 

“Frog’s heads,” Lucifer replied in a deadpanned voice. “Cauliflower is tiny brains, broccoli are tiny trees and beets are lamb’s hearts.” He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head, wondering what happened that lead his life to this point where he was arguing over the semantics of food with his husband and daughter. 

“An oatmeal is really ooze,” Mary Rose explained proudly. 

“This is the new food pyramid while she likes gross things.” Sam agreed with a shrug, “Whatever we call it, dinner’s ready.” 

Lucifer gave a whistle to let everyone else know dinner was ready before walking over to Sam and kissing him sweetly. “I love you, even if you tell our daughter about axe murderesses.” 

“Love you too. Even though you get uptight about me telling our daughter about axe murderesses.” Sam smiled and turned his attention to Mary Rose and ushered her out of the room to the bathroom, “Time to wash our hands. We can’t eat guts on pizza without clean fingers.”

“No telling her about Countess Elizabeth Bathory until she’s eleven!” Lucifer called after Sam as Dean came into the kitchen. He looked at his best friend and sighed. “I need a drink. Or five,” he said. “And you will too. Mary wants ‘Lizzie Borden spaghetti’ on top of pizza and is calling it ‘guts on pizza’.” 

Dean’s eyes widened for a moment before marching to the stove and lifting the lid to the spaghetti. He took a single sniff and wrinkled up his face, “That is disgusting on every level.” He seriously contemplated throwing out the offending food but his natural frugality prevented him. 

Lucifer sighed and went over to the liquor cabinet, pouring himself and Dean at least two fingers worth of whiskey a piece. 

Maybe his daughter was in her gross phase and insisted vegetables were animal body parts, oatmeal was ooze, and ‘Lizzie Borden spaghetti’ was an amazing food and should be combined with pizza for “guts on pizza”; and maybe Lucifer still had his doubts on the wisdom of his father’s actions so many eons ago. But right now, in this moment and for moments to come, he wouldn’t have his father change a damn thing.


End file.
